Representational image. Wikimedia Commons
People around the globe celebrate World Arthritis Day every year on 12 October. The day aims to create awareness about rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases and their impact. Also known as RMDs, these diseases remain frequently misdiagnosed. While over 200 RMDs exist, more research on their impact needs to be done. World Arthritis Day tries to educate people about the preventive measures, early symptoms and treatment of such diseases so that their impact is minimised. It also invites patients, caregivers, medical professionals and researchers to come together and campaign for better healthcare services for RMD patients.
Theme:
This year, the theme for World Arthritis Day is “It’s in your hands, take action”. The theme tries to draw the attention of caregivers, medical professionals, families, and the general public towards the preventive measures they can take for early diagnosis and treatment of RMDs, including arthritis.
The European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) is hosting a webinar today, 12 October, on ‘Invisible Rheumatology – Why are we facing shortages and delays and how can we change this?’ to look at the current situation in rheumatological care.
History:
World Arthritis Day was first celebrated in 1996 by the Arthritis and Rheumatism International foundation. Since then, the day has been celebrated every year on 12 October.
Significance:
Over 100 million people in the European Union alone are currently undiagnosed and trying to deal with the effects of RMDs, as per EULAR. According to the Arthritis Foundation, arthritis affects nearly 60 million people in the United States alone, with 1 in 4 adults suffering from some kind of the disease.
The medical condition, which results in inflammation and degradation of the joints, can adversely impact all aspects of one’s life such as mobility, sleep cycle, self-esteem and more. Though there are over 100 types of arthritis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the most common types.
World Arthritis Day tries to draw attention to this condition and other RMDs. It also tries to create awareness among governments and healthcare services to allocate more resources towards the timely prevention, diagnosis and treatment of RMDs.
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